Driving mechanism



G. M. WILLIS.

DRIVING MECHANrSM.

APFLICAHON FILED MAY 13, 1920.

1,369,206. Patented Feb. 22, 192 1 m Y yHUIIIIIHIII um x) l\ a 'g Qm m QI [lK l N M M Q@ M W'Wff @www UQNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE WILLIS, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. y'

DRIVING MECHAN ISM.

To all whom it may concern l Be it known that I GEORGE M1 WILLIS, a citizen of the United tates, residingat Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of 5 Illinois have invented a certain Vnew and useful ljmprovement in Driving Mechanisms,

of which the following is a full, clear, c oncise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a art of this specication. j

y invention relates to driving mechanisms and more particularly to driving mechanisms of the type adapted for direct association with the traction wheels kof Va motor vehiclefor applying the power from the engine thereto. l Y 1 The prior arthas provided various types of drives (chain, gear, worm, etc.) for transmittin the power from' the engine to the .propelling .of the vehicle.

chaindrive is better adapted to rough surfaces or road beds, the gear drives are other- `wise considered superior. The advantages of associating an additional drive mechanism with each ofthe traction wheels for applying the power from the `engine are well known to those skilled inthe art. .In the first place, the .drivingstrain is distrib- -uted 4between the differential and `this final drive mechanism "relieving the ydriving strain in the differential making a re-` duction in the dimensions thereofpractical.

Furthermore, a second speed 'reduction7 as well as an increased power application leverage may be `thereby had.l at the wheel These are advantageous particularly in connection with heavy duty vehicles.

The final drives of thepprior art have comprised coopera-tingY gearings frequently 40 including'an internal ring gear between. the live axle and the wheel; Ihave found that these final drives like the geardrives for4 transmitting the power from'the engine are better adapted for one class of service than another. The complexity'fof such mechanisms has been; great andqthe problem of assemblyV and dismantlingv adiiiicult one.

It is an aim of my invention`.to;provide a driving mechanism which .willjoperate ef.- fectively under all conditions-ofoperation, those conditions under which chain drive vehicles, as well asfthose under whichgear drives have been operated heretofore.

Specification of Letters Patent.

While thev Patented Feb. 22, 1921.

Application -eld May 13, 1920. Serial No.` 380,977. l

Itis a further aim of my invention to provide a novel, simple and compact driving mechanism which may be cheaply manufactured and easily assembled and dismantled.

Other aims of my invention not hereinbe- -fore set forth will appear from the following detailedy description and the claims taken with an inspection ing drawings in which,

Figure l is an axial section through the traction ,wheel of a motor vehicleand its associated drive axle showing a driving mechanism embodying` my invention arranged therebetween; and

Fig. 2 is an outer face view on a somewhat reduced scale of the wheel with the outer closure plate removed to show the ai'- iangement of the driving mechanism.

Generally, my invention provides means whereby the power is applied from the drive or live axle of the vehicle to the wheel through a driving mechanism including a planet gear driving from the drive axle by means of a suitable driving chain arranged therebetween and a cooperating fixed gear providing a. track about which the planet gear and consequently the wheel of the vehicle are revolved.

Referring to the drawings, 1 Vdesignates a traction wheel of a motor vehicle and 2 designates generally thedrive axle associated therewith. The drive axle 2 comprises a pair ofv alined axle tubes 3 3 through which axle tubes the drive axle sections or spindles 4-4 are arranged. These tubes 3-3 constitute the dead axles oi supports upon the ends of which the wheels are journaled, and which receive the load stresses. The traction wheel l is mounted to revolve about the outer end of the axletube 3. The power for propelling the vehicle is transmitted to the drive axle sections 4 4 by way of a suitablejdifferential 5 .interposed between the adjacent ends thereof. i

i The beveled gear 6 ofthe differential 5 is driven from the propeller or drive shaft of the vehicle through an intermeshing pinion 7. Pinions 9 revolublv mounted upon spindles or. relatively short shafts 8 carried by the beveled gear 6 are interposed between and mesh withl the opposed beveled gears 10 and 11 fixed upon the adjacent ends respectively ofthe drive axle sections 4-4. The

and a driving chain trained over said sprocket pinion and said sprocket gear to transmit the driving effort of the spindle to the Wheel, said sprocket pinion and gear being spaced apart to permit of the employment of a relatively large gear ratio between the spur gear and pinion whereby the driving stresses imposed upon the sprockets, the chain, the shaft and the Wheel are relatively small.

In Witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name7 this 6th day of May7 1920.

GEORGE M. WILLIS. 

